What It's Like

The separate municipality of West Hollywood (as opposed to Hollywood, which is a section of Los Angeles proper), and in particular its main drag, Sunset Boulevard, is a bit edgier than the tourist-friendly neighborhood to its east. Now much more polished than it was in the early 1990s -- when River Phoenix overdosed at The Viper Room and Hugh Grant was arrested off Sunset for lewd conduct -- the area still has a rock 'n' roll vibe. Some of the city's most famous music clubs are on Sunset, like Whisky A Go-Go and the Roxy, and so are celebrity-magnet hotels like Chateau Marmont and the Sunset Marquis.

Where to Stay

Not ironically, once the sun goes down, the Sunset Strip becomes a nightlife mecca. If you're looking to catch a concert while standing elbow-to-elbow with Josh Hartnett or make eye contact from across the bar with Scarlett Johansson, consider popular spots like the celebrity-heavy Chateau Marmont, the dazzlingly-designed Mondrian, or the party-prone Standard Hollywood. If the thought of painfully hip hordes does nothing for you, the Andaz and the London tend to host suave but relaxed crowds (and in many cases, larger rooms for the price).